Page:Harris Dickson--Old Reliable in Africa.djvu/82

 went, silently and without warning. He did not glance from the door to see if he were spied upon. He must take a chance. This left old Zack standing alone in his cabin, staring from the ten gold pieces to the capsule.

"Huh! dat white man cornduck hisself mighty brief about dis pill." Zack tested each sovereign with his teeth, to see if they were good, stuffed them deep in his breeches pockets, and put the capsule inside his vest. Still in a daze he picked up the cigar band which Lykoff had dropped to the floor and slipped it on his finger as though it were a ring.

When Old Reliable passed through the smoking room, Lykoff and the Bloodhound were taking their coffee together, and Lykoff felt a sudden chill to see his green-gold cigar band on the negro's finger. Of course the Bloodhound also noticed it. Neither man batted an eye. A few minutes later Gargarin examined the steward's stock of cigars. There were none to match the green-gold band; none amongst the various passengers—the American smoked a distinctly American brand. So Gargarin wanted to know how Zack got that cigar band, and Lykoff felt that he must account for it. Lykoff waited his chance until the Colonel and Zack were standing at the rail. Old Zack seemed restless with responsibility, glancing all around him, and missing nothing.